Akiko Ban

I am a Japanese interdisciplinary artist based in London. I work mainly in sculptures and drawings that explore to establish a primal, naturalistic and spiritual vista of the inner world of my creation.

My artistic practice seeks to give lives to materials, generating individual bodies which I believe have their own existence. These ritual objects and environments were inspired by contemporary culture, music, fashion and my own daily experiences. I present art work as a means of expressing my personal mythology which embodies the essence of the world I live in.

By employing fluid materials such as water, ink, plaster and fabric, I intend to spark a moment emerging through the interactions between material, time, environment and myself. Each piece is a unique and improvised rapidly and responsively. I call this process manifestation of entity, it takes place when my unconsciousness is in tune with the integrated materials. Prior to my creation, I carefully study the materials logically and intuitively until they start to form a part of my entity, which later allows me to work spontaneously. My background as a trained Japanese calligrapher helps my access the state of unconsciousness yet sensory acute state during which the wor...

2006 - 2008 MFA in Fine Art (Sculpture), Slade School of Fine Art, London
2003 - 2006 BA (Hons) Drawing, Camberwell College of Arts, London

Recent Exhibition include;
2020 - current Dance Continuum - an online virtual Exhibition at The Playground, Rambert
2019 Innervisions, Sway Gallery London (solo exhibition)
2018 A History of Drawing, Camberwell College of Arts
2016 RA Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts
2016 SIXTY, LUBOMIROV/ANGUS-HUGHES, Athens, Greece
2015 I Never Lied To You, Camberwell Space Projects, Camberwell College of Arts, London